State of Hawaii Archives: on Health Care
David Ige: Move management of public hospitals to private sector
It is getting harder and harder for us as a state to operate these hospitals well. We need the resources the private sector can bring to bear on the increasingly complex issues and challenges of health care. We recently signed a historic agreement transferring the operation and management of the Maui Region health care facilities from the state to Kaiser Permanente. Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Hawaii legislature Jan 25, 2016
Cam Cavasso: Repeal ObamaCare; it's not a government responsibility
Question topic: It is the government's responsibility to be sure everyone has health care and a livable income.
Cavasso: Strongly Disagree
Question topic: The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) should be repealed by Congress.
Cavasso: Strongly Agree Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Hawaii Senate race Sep 30, 2014
David Ige: Supports employer-mandated health care insurance law
Hawai'i has one of the highest rates of health care insurance coverage in the nation due to our employer-mandated health care insurance law, the Prepaid Health Care Act. In Hawai'i, 93% of all residents have health care insurance. I will focus on securing coverage for the remainder of the population.
I will seek to correct an error of the current Governor, who failed to request regulatory flexibility for the requirements of the federal Affordable Care Act that weaken Hawai'i's Prepaid Health Care Law. Our Hawai'i Health Connector received a $205 million grant from the federal government, but has been a disaster. The Connector unworkable on the day it was scheduled to start, and, nine months later, the Connector has enrolled less than 1% of the population. There are better alternatives to covering Hawai'i's uninsured residents. Source: 2014 Hawaii gubernatorial campaign website DavidIge.org Aug 9, 2014
David Ige: Support unfunded liabilities for State Union Health Benefits
Q: Are you satisfied with the current plans to pay for the state's unfunded liabilities?
IGE: Last year Hawaii became the first state in the country to enact a plan for handling unfunded liabilities for the State Employer Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.
ABERCROMBIE: The Employer-Union Trust Fund (EUTF) has never been prefunded until my administration came into office. With our financial turnaround of the state's finances, we've started to put money back into the EUTF to address its unfunded liabilities. Working with the Legislature, we passed Act 268 in 2013 to statutorily establish an annual required contribution. Hawaii was one of the first states to really address the unfunded liability for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB). Source: Honolulu Civil Beat Q&A on 2014 Hawaii gubernatorial race Jul 11, 2014
David Ige: We have failed to execute the Hawaii Health Connector
There were heated moments during the debate, including an exchange over the troubled Hawaii Health Connector: "The legislature legislates. The executive executes. And this is a failure to execute," said Ige.
"In other words, the legislature created the Health Connector. All I can do is execute what the legislature tells me to do," Abercrombie responded. Source: Hawaii News Now on 2014 Hawaii gubernatorial debate Jul 9, 2014
Eddie Pirkowski: Repeal ObamaCare; it's not a government responsibility
Pirkowski: Strongly Disagree
Pirkowski: Strongly Agree Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Hawaii Senate race Jul 2, 2014
John Carroll: Don't mandate insurance, but don't repeal ObamaCare
Q: Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
Q: Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
A: No. Source: VoteSmart 2012 Hawaii Political Courage Test Nov 1, 2012
Duke Aiona: No public option; no individual mandate
Q: Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
Q: Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
Q: Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance?
Q: Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
Aiona adds, "My vision is for Hawai'i's citizens to lead healthy, productive lives with access to affordable, high-quality health care that is available to all and where a healthy lifestyle is the norm. To achieve this goal, I'll pursue policies that focus on prevention rather than just treatment of illnesses. I'll work to expand health care options available to Hawai'i's families and encourage a greater number of providers to ensure we have a competitive market that gives our citizens meaningful choices when choosing insurance. And I'll pursue programs that increase our supply of well-trained physicians, nurses and health care professionals." Source: Hawaii Gubernatorial Election 2010 Political Courage Test Nov 1, 2010
Linda Lingle: State QUEST program instead of ObamaCare
The health care legislation will force Hawai`i and all the other states into a one-size-fits-all program that is financially unsustainable. The $1.2 trillion government takeover of health care will cost Hawai`i residents, conservatively, an estimated $300 million over five years in added costs to our Medicaid programs, which are already hemorrhaging red ink.
Governors across the country have consistently stated that states need the flexibility to adjust their Medicaid programs so they can deliver quality health care to patients at a reasonable and sustainable price. Hawai`i has already undertaken health care reforms. Specifically, our QUEST Medicaid program, which the federal government estimates has saved nearly $700 million by instituting cost-efficiency measures, provides quality health care to low-income men, women and children. Hawai`i needs the freedom to continue these reforms. We don't need restrictions in the form of unfunded federal mandates. Source: 2010 Hawaii gubernatorial Press Release "Health Legislation" Mar 15, 2010
Daniel Akaka: Advocate for expanding and improving Medicaid and Medicare
The majority in Congress has cut and weakened existing safety net programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. And I have fought these changes and will continue to advocate for expanding and improving Medicaid and Medicare to meet the health care needs of all people. And to do that, we must take steps to help reign in health care costs without reducing access in an attempt to keep coverage affordable for employees and individuals. Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006
Ed Case: Let small businesses pull together resources in health plans
I have support a bill to provide small businesses with the opportunities to pool their resources in association health plans so that they can create the same kind of critical mass that large businesses can create to be able to manage their health care costs. If small businesses can pull together in association health plans they can in fact manage those health care costs a little bit more and spread the risks more. Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006
Ed Case: Support drugs re-importation and bulk purchases of drugs
We can�t talk about health care without talking about the prescription drug costs, specifically. Two major initiatives that I believe we need to put forward and accomplish right away, in which I have opposed the Bush administration�s position, are first of all to allow re-importation of safe drugs from overseas that are FDA approved, and second to allow bulk purchasing of those drugs for Medicare for the 40 million plus Americans that do get Medicare. That can help. Source: 2006 HI Senate Debate on PBS Hawaii Aug 31, 2006
Cynthia Thielen: Voted YES on prohibiting smoking in public places
Bill Number: SB 3262 - An act relating to health. Cynthia Thielen voted YES. Conference Report Adopted by House, 47 - 3. Synopsis:
Establishes a new chapter that protects the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in places open to the public and places of employment, ensuring a consistent level of basic protections statewide from exposure to secondhand smoke. Effective date November 16, 2006. Source: Hawaii State Legislature voting records Mar 7, 2006
Benjamin Cayetano: $141M for new medical school at University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii is not just a place of higher learning; it is also a driving force for the economic development of this State. That is why I am proposing we support a brand new, world-class medical school in Kakaako Makai. The new medical school will be the foundation of Hawaii�s healthcare and biotechnology industries. At $141 million for the first phase, it will not come cheap. But it will help develop a biotechnology industry. Source: 2001 State of the State address to Hawaii Legislature Jan 22, 2001
The above quotations are from State of Hawaii Politicians: Archives.
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2016 Presidential contenders on Health Care:
Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI) Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)
2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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